FOR HELPING fight illiteracy, a teacher from the Cordillera Administrative Region was chosen as a recipient of this year’s Princess Maha Chakri Awards.

Marcelo Otinguey, Head Teacher V of the Governor Bado Dangwa Agro-Industrial School in Kapangan, Benguet, will be recognized for his exemplary resourcefulness in soliciting resource materials for learners, especially in rural areas.

Otinguey introduced various youth and community development projects such as Book for the Barrios that provided books and other learning materials to create reading centers for primary and secondary schools in rural areas. He also started a donation drive called Share-a-Joy/Share Your Extras for indigent communities.

He also initiated the Wheels for Persons-With-Disabilities project that grants wheelchairs and crutches for handicapped indigents and conducted skills and livelihood trainings to promote self-reliance entrepreneurship, productivity, and income for the masses.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones lauded Otinguey.

“Our teachers like Mr. Otinguey are truly worth emulating. They have made a significant impact on the lives of their learners as they instill knowledge and values to inspire the young generation,” Briones said.

In honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, the PMCA recognizes teachers from 11 countries in Southeast Asia who made an impact on their students’ lives, particularly those in disadvantaged groups.

Established in 2015, the PMCA also aims to support and promote the development of the teaching profession and strengthen international relations in the field of education.

Joining Otinguey in this year’s list of PMCA awardees are Pengiran Haji Mohd Wahab bin Pengiran Haji Abdullah of Brunei Darussalam, Norn Dary of Cambodia, Khoiriah, M.Pd. of Indonesia, Sengphet Khounpasert of Lao PDR, Kyaw Zin Aung of Myanmar, Norhailmi Abdul Mutalib of Malaysia, Yok Joon Meng of Singapore, HA Anh Phuong of Vietnam, Pratin Leanchumroon of Thailand, and Vicente Marcal da Silva of Timor-Leste.

Before Otinguey, three Filipinos received the PMCA award — William Moraca of General Santos City (2015), Jesus Insalada of Iloilo City (2017), and Sadat Minandang of Cotabato City (2019).

The awarding ceremony will be held on October 29. The onsite ceremony will be presided over by Sirindhorn in Bangkok, while the online format will be attended by the PMCA awardees at the Royal Thai Embassy in their respective countries.